The Seed Growing Secretly (Mark 4:26–29)

The texts below are quoted verbatim from public-domain English translations; nothing is paraphrased.

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Theophylact of Ohrid (c. 1055–1107)

Explanation of the Gospel of Mark (on Mark 4:26–29) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Mark. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena2.iii.iv.html

On Christ's sleep as His ascension, and His rising by night and by day:

Or else Christ sleeps, that is, ascends into heaven, where, though He seem to sleep, yet He rises by night, when through temptations He raises us up to the knowledge of Himself; and in the day time, when on account of our prayers, He sets in order our salvation.

On the blade, the ear, and the fruit as the stages of a soul:

for we put forth the blade when we shew a principle of good; then the ear, when we can resist temptations; then comes the fruit, when a man works something perfect.

Victor of Antioch (5th century)

Commentary on Mark (on Mark 4:26–29) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Mark, where it is printed under the name of Chrysostom. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena2.iii.iv.html

On the kingdom of God as faith in the Incarnate Word, and the seed as the divine knowledge cast upon the earth:

Or else He calls by the name of kingdom of God, faith in Him, and in the economy of His Incarnation; which kingdom indeed is as if a man should throw seed. For He Himself being God and the Son of God, having without change been made man, has cast seed upon the earth, that is, He has enlightened the whole world by the word of divine knowledge.

On "he knoweth not how" as showing the free-will of those who receive the word:

Or else He says, "He knoweth not," that He may shew the free-will of those who receive the word, for He commits a work to our will, and does not work the whole Himself alone, lest the good should seem involuntary. For the earth brings forth fruits of its own accord, that is, she is brought to bear fruit without being compelled by a necessity contrary to her will.

On Christ who rises to make the seed grow through the day of righteousness and the night of persecution:

Or Christ Himself is the man who rises, for He sat waiting with patience, that they who received seed should bear fruit. He rises, that is, by the word of His love, He makes us grow to the bringing forth fruit, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand, ... by which is meant the day, and on the left, by which is meant the night of persecution; for by these the seed springs up, and does not wither.

St. Gregory the Great (c. 540–604)

Homilies on Ezekiel, Book II, Homily 3 (on Mark 4:26–29) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Mark. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena2.iii.iv.html

On the seed as a good intention placed in the heart, and the sleep as rest in the hope of a good work:

Or else, Man casts seed into the ground, when he places a good intention in his heart; and he sleeps, when he already rests in the hope which attends on a good work. But he rises night and day, because he advances amidst prosperity and adversity, though he knows it not, for he is as yet unable to measure his increase, and yet virtue, once conceived, goes on increasing.

On the blade, the ear, and the full corn as the degrees of good works:

When therefore we conceive good desires, we put seed into the ground; when we begin to work rightly, we are the blade. When we increase to the perfection of good works, we arrive at the ear; when we are firmly fixed in the perfection of the same working, we already put forth the full corn in the ear.

Pseudo-Jerome (7th century)

Exposition on the Gospel of Mark (on Mark 4:26–29) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Mark. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena2.iii.iv.html

On the kingdom of God as the Church:

The kingdom of God is the Church, which is ruled by God, and herself rules over men, and treads down the powers which are contrary to her, and all wickedness.

On the seed as the word of life and the ground as the human heart:

For the seed is the word of life, the ground is the human heart, and the sleep of the man means the death of the Saviour. The seed springs up night and day, because after the sleep of Christ, the number of Christians, through calamity and prosperity, continued to flourish more and more in faith, and to wax greater in deed.

On the sickle as death or judgment, and the harvest as the end of the world:

The sickle is death or the judgment, which cuts down all things; the harvest is the end of the world.